To determine the relevant psychosexual characteristics of invested
partners of patients with sexual disorders, the authors administered the
Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI) to 51 invested partners and
200 normal volunteers. Female invested partners (N = 18) participated in a
significantly more constricted range of specific sexual activities and
revealed significantly lower sexual drive than the normal women. Tbey also
had significantly lower scores on the femininity component of the gender
role definition subtest. Male invested partners (N = 33) also showed
significantly lower femininity scores and had somewhat lower scores on
endorsement of specific sexual experiences. Degree of sexual satisfaction
in the invested partners was comparable to that of their sexually
dysfunctional partners.Abstract Teaser